Mrs. Jack and Bonnie Drumwright opened Business Health Partners in order to serve the ever growing number of contractors serving the local industrial complex in Southwest Louisiana.

In 1995, they opened in a small location on Cities Service Highway in Sulphur with four full-time employees providing occupational medicine testing and injury treatment. Dr. Bonnie had been the corporate medical director at Citgo and Dr. Jack the corporate medical director at Condea Vista Chemicals now (SASOL). They noticed the needs of contractors in the area to meet the ever-changing maze of OSHA and DOT required testing.

“There was not a full service facility to provide the full list of testing and services the area industrial complex needed,” said David Drumwright, director of business operations. “In the past 18 years they have survived an office fire that destroyed the original location, an office flood from a roof collapse last May, and Hurricanes Rita and Ike to grow into the largest Occupational Medicine Clinic on the Gulf Coast between Houston and Baton Rouge.”Business Health Partners now has a staff of 30, complete mobile testing and 24 hour services.

With potential investments in Southwest Louisiana totaling $50 billion, do you expect business to boom for you?

The proposed expansion in the area is an incredible opportunity for us at Business Health Partners. Not only for the new employee screening and testing but for our mobile and training services. With such an influx of workers new to the local industries it will require Business Health Partners to offer additional training, web based services, and after hours services to meet the increased demand. Yes, it will be a boom for us. A multiplier effect will occur each time an employee moves from one job to another. The open spot they leave will need to be filled and that employee also tested and may result in 10 screens per one employee moving to a new job.

What medical testing do you give?

We provide a full menu of occupational medicine and employment screenings. Our bread and butter, of course, is drug and alcohol screenings. Followed by respirator fittings and pulmonary function testing. We are certified to meet the stricter requirements for CDL exams, provide audiometric hearing test, immunization and lab work, plus 24 hour workers compensation and injury treatment.

What treatments do you offer?

We provide primarily treatments for injured workers. Unlike the urgent care or emergency room treatments we work with an employee to get them back to work as soon as possible and at a third of the cost. We understand the strict requirements of workers compensation and are certified to provide treatment under those guidelines.

How does your mobile services unit work?

In addition to testing on-site at a clients office, we have a mobile trailer that we can bring to any job site. It is fully self-contained, and we can provide full scope audiometric testing. We can essentially provide every service we provide in our location at a clients facility. We can staff and manage a clinic on location and provide all the administrative services for the clinic.

How important are the services you provide for the workforce?

The services we provide the local workforce are invaluable. Without our resources in place, contractors would have to travel to Houston or Baton Rouge to get the required testing to be able to work in our area. With the additional time and cost of travel it would make our area less attractive for the upcoming expansion. In order for the expansion to occur we have to have the infrastructure to support the increased demands on our area. We are a part of that infrastructure.

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Send your Businesswise suggestions to Lance Traweek, American Press, P.O. Box 2893, Lake Charles, LA 70601; or email suggestions to ltraweek@americanpress.com .

Business Health Partners